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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26742928">On the Edge of Dreams</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quickspinner/pseuds/Quickspinner'>Quickspinner</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sprint Fic Challenge [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Endgame Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, F/M, LBSC Sprint Fic Challenge, Oh No He's Hot, dumbasses in love, i guess?, oh no she's hot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:07:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,536</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26742928</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quickspinner/pseuds/Quickspinner</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Luka's nearly asleep on his feet when he stumbles into a local bakery in search of coffee. It turns out there's a wake-up call standing behind the counter. </p><p>Unfortunately, he's never been a morning person.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sprint Fic Challenge [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1904854</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>233</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>LBSCSprintFicChallenge</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On the Edge of Dreams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Challenge Rules:</p><p>Pick a prompt and write for that prompt in up to three 15 minute sprints. No writing outside the sprints until you have completed all three! After the 3 sprints are complete, you have 24 hours to edit (which can include some new writing to smooth transitions, etc). After those 24 hours, post what you’ve got! (I actually cheated a little because my brain was too fried to edit right away. I regret nothing.) </p><p>Prompt:<br/>"Oh no, s/he's hot."</p><p>More information on the challenge <a href="https://lovebugs-and-snakecharmers.tumblr.com/post/630053991044235264/lbsc-sfc-923-9302020">here!</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a simple order. Nothing complicated about it. A large dark roast with room. He’d ordered it a thousand times, could do it without thought. Or at least, so he would have said until today. </p><p>But the truly stunning pair of blue eyes across the counter from him was blinking in confusion, thanks to the incomprehensible mixture of French, English, and Scots he’d just spouted.</p><p>His eyes zeroed in on the lovely set of lips as they parted, hesitated, and then spoke. “I’m sorry, I...didn’t quite catch that?” </p><p>Luka blinked and cleared his throat, feeling the blush heating up his face as he dragged his gaze back up to meet hers. “I’m sorry, it’s—I’m not a morning person. I think I left my brain in bed.” </p><p>She smiled, and damn if she wasn’t the prettiest girl he’d ever laid eyes on, perfect skin and gorgeous eyes and those lips were— </p><p>Speaking to him. Shit. “—all the time. Do you want to try again?”</p><p>Luka somehow managed to give his order correctly this time, and nearly fainted at the giggle she let out as she picked up the cup to write his order. </p><p>His eyes flicked to her nametag. <em> Marinette. </em></p><p>“That’s my name,” she said, and Luka’s eyes shot up to her face again. “I asked for yours?” </p><p>“Sorry,” Luka repeated hurriedly. “Luka. My name’s Luka.”</p><p>“Can you spell it for me or is that too much to ask before you’ve had a chance to drink it?” she asked with a playful wink, and it was really a wonder his knees didn’t give out on him. </p><p>“Sure,” he said weakly, and spelled it for her (correctly, mercifully). She smiled at him and turned aside to start making his drink. Luka also turned away slightly in the other direction, pretending to look in the pastry case as he tried to catch his breath and get his bearings again. Damn, wasn’t this just his luck, face to face with a beautiful girl and him in wrinkled clothes and mussed hair looking like—well, he hoped he looked like he’d just pulled an all-nighter, and not like he’d been doing something far seedier. </p><p>He checked the time, and had to blink a couple of times before the numbers came into full focus. He really needed that coffee.</p><p>“You’re an angel,” he groaned as she set it on the display case in front of him. </p><p>“Careful, it’s—” she winced as he put the cup to his lips, but Luka was long past caring how hot the coffee was. He took a burning gulp and made a face before offering the girl—<em> Marinette </em>, he remembered—a lopsided smile. </p><p>“If I don’t get it down now I’m going to pass out on your steps,” he joked, and his smile grew a little wider when she laughed. </p><p>“You look it,” she said, propping her elbows up on the case and peering at him over it. “I hope the coffee helps. Can I offer you anything else?    </p><p>“I wouldn’t say no to a place to crash on your floor,” Luka joked, moving over to add cream and sugar to his coffee. “But it’d be kind of a waste to work on that damn paper all night and then pass out before I have a chance to turn it in, so coffee it is.” He snorted softly. “Who wants paper copies in this day and age anyway, really?” he muttered, and then blushed when he turned around to find the girl giggling at him over the top of the pastry case. </p><p>“Well, good luck,” she said, leaning her chin on one hand. “Make sure you double-check the mailbox number before you put it in. Ask me how I know.” She made a face.</p><p>Luka laughed as he went to the door. “Good tip. Thanks for the coffee, Marinette. I’m sure I’ll see you again.” </p><p>He fumbled the door handle when she smiled—<em> and blushed </em>. </p><p>
  <em> He made her blush. </em>
</p><p>Luka wasn’t sure if he was more embarrassed by the goofy grin on his face or the way he tripped on the ledge of the door on the way out because he hadn’t looked away from that adorable blushy smile. </p><p>At least he managed to keep his coffee from spilling.</p>
<hr/><p>Three more times he visited the bakery that week, but each time he ordered his coffee from an older lady with a kind smile. She was nice enough, but Luka had been hoping to see Marinette again.</p><p>He came in the next week without much hope, but perked up as he saw Marinette behind the counter. His smile faded slightly though as she stood swaying on her feet. Her hair wasn’t <em> messy </em> but definitely not as tidy as before, and he could see the slight creases of makeup caked around her eyes as he approached, covering dark shadows, he was sure. Luka was at the counter and had to call her name twice before her gaze snapped up to his and she blinked rapidly. </p><p>“Oh,” she gasped, “I’m so sorry. Um, what can I get you?”</p><p>Luka ordered (correctly, and entirely in French this time) and added, as Marinette moved sluggishly to pick up the cup, “Should I make that two? You look like you need it more than I do this morning.” </p><p>Marinette shot him a tired smile that was still unbearably cute. “I probably do. I was working on a project all last night and I really couldn’t ask Mom to cover another shift for me, she’s been taking my shifts all week. It’s done now, so I can struggle through and—” She paused, staring at the cup in her hand. “Sorry, what am I making again?”</p><p>Luka chuckled and leaned on the counter as he repeated the order. She finished writing it on the cup that time, and Luka thought she breathed a sigh of relief at the simplicity of it. </p><p>“I’m serious,” Luka told her, and she looked at him in slight confusion. “I really will buy you a coffee if you need it.” </p><p>“Oh, that’s very kind, but I’ve already had some. Just waiting for it to kick in. I actually don’t care much for coffee most of the time but it was definitely necessary this morning.” </p><p>She set the cup on the counter in front of him and smiled. “Thanks for being patient with me, Luka.” </p><p>“It’s not like it’s hard,” he said stupidly, a little dazzled. She was adorable, even half-dead. “I hope you get some rest,” he added, as he took his coffee to add the cream and sugar. </p><p>“I will,” she shrugged with a tired smile. “Eventually.” </p><p>Luka took his coffee and left. </p>
<hr/><p>The next time he went to the bakery, he nearly ran into Marinette coming out of the door.</p><p>“Woah,” he said, catching her shoulders to keep her from falling. She put her hands out automatically to keep herself from impacting his chest. </p><p>“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” she said quickly, snatching her hands back and blushing to the roots of her hair. “Wow, you’re um. Strong. Sorry, I’m so sorry, I was going <em> way </em>too fast and I should have been looking and I didn’t hurt you, right?” </p><p>Luka nearly laughed at the thought. “No, I’m good,” he smiled, letting go of her shoulders. “Are you?” </p><p>“Fine,” she squeaked, turning redder by the minute. </p><p>“You sure?” Luka couldn’t help asking, tilting his head slightly. That shade really couldn’t be healthy.</p><p>“I’m fine, everything’s fine, I slam right into hot guys all the time, not a big deal at all and <em> definitely </em> nothing to get embarrassed and start babbling like an idiot over, nope, I’m all—all good.” She whined and put her hands over her face. </p><p>Luka had to take a second to get his bearings after that flood, but then a slow grin spread across his face. “Well, I can’t say I’m lucky enough to have to catch a hot girl all that often, but so far I’m not minding the experience.” </p><p>Marinette sputtered something completely unintelligible, and Luka chuckled, reaching in his pocket and fishing out a card. It was nothing fancy, just a slim black and white card with a website and instagram information on it that Rose had printed up at home, but today he was glad he was carrying them. </p><p>“This is the band I play with,” Luka said, giving her the card. “I’d love to run into you at a show sometime.” He grinned. “Literally or figuratively, either works for me.” </p><p>He stepped aside to clear her path as Marinette stared at him. “Maybe we can get not-coffee afterward.” Luka winked at her and went into the bakery, and then, glancing behind him to make sure he was clear, he covered his own face and fought down his internal panic at his boldness. </p><p>“Can I help you?” said an amused voice, and Luka jerked slightly before dropping his hands and staring at the older lady behind the counter—Marinette’s mother, he suddenly remembered with embarrassment. </p><p>“Um, yeah. I mean, yes, please.” </p><p>At least...that was what he <em> meant </em> to say. The confused look on the lady’s face mirrored Marinette’s from a couple weeks ago. </p><p>Luka sighed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The prompt included a link to a tumblr post with some examples of people being idiots over pretty girls, and I stole the 'ordered in a mishmash' of languages example for my purposes here. </p><p>I hope there's no glaring errors in this, I've had a bizarre week with regards to writing mistakes and I keep finding completely random words swapped out in odd places (steps with states is one very memorable example), and I'm definitely not at my sharpest editing self at the moment. Still, I hope you enjoyed!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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